Want to learn to TIG weld Aluminum?

Want to learn to TIG weld Aluminum? Check out this article and video with 4 steps to get started. http://bit.ly/bSXcxj


From Miller Welders

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Mike Kaufman goes 6.65 206 mph!

200 mph In car

This is what it looks like to go 200MPH from the Inside!

200 MPH 1967 Corvette

My Cousin Mike Kaufman makes a 200 Mph Pass in his top Sportsman 1967 Corvette!

Welded Razor Blabes

We have had some requests for Pics of welded razor blades. Scott LePage of MetalWorks Fabrication welded some up and here you go.

New Project Pics on Filkr.

Check out new Flickr photos of MetalWorksFab.com designed and built "foam free" Power Steering Reservoir.
http://tinyurl.com/y8hbecy

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Jay Leno Needs Welders!!!

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more about "Jay Leno Needs Welders!!!", posted with vodpod

NASCAR SHOCK MOUNT

 

Metalworks Fabrication design NASCAR Sprint Cup front shock mount.

As always, we would be more than happy to discuss your Metalworks project from the biggest of BIG to the smallest of small.
Contact us today to discuss your Metal Works needs.
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Metalworks: TIG welding billet 6061 aluminum clamp to .065 6061 tube with 5356 rod.

Metalworks: TIG welding billet 6061 aluminum clamp to .065 6061 tube with 5356 rod.

TIG welding billet 6061 aluminum clamp to .065 6061 tube with 5356 rod.

IN THE MEANTIME

Common 4130 TIG welding questions and answers

Q. Can I weld 4130 using the TIG process?
A. Yes, 4130 Chrome-Moly has been TIG welded in the aerospace and aircraft industries for years. As with all welding, proper procedures and techniques must be followed.

Q. Do I need to preheat ?
A. Thin wall tubing (< 0.120" wall) applications do not typically require the normal 300ºF to 400ºF pre-heat to obtain acceptable results. However, tubing should be at room temperature (70ºF) or above before welding.

Q. What filler material do I use?

A. Although there are several good filler materials, ER80S-D2, is one you should consider. This filler material is capable of producing welds that approximate the strength of 4130. ER-70S-2 is an acceptable alternative to ER80S-D2, as is ER70S-6, although the weld strength will be slightly lower.

Q. When I use ER70S-2 filler material, do I give up strength for elongation?
A. Yes. The filler material, when diluted with the parent material, will typically undermatch the 4130. However, with the proper joint design (such as cluster or gusset, for example), the cross-sectional area and linear inches of weld can compensate for the reduced weld deposit strength.

Q. Why is 4130 filler metal not recommended?
A. 4130 filler typically is used for applications where the weld will be heat treated. Due to its higher hardness and reduced elongation, it is not recommended for sporting applications such as experimental airplanes, race car frames, roll cages, etc.

Q. Can I weld 4130 using any other filler metals?
A. Some fabricators prefer to use austenitic stainless steel fillers to weld 4130 tubing. This is acceptable provided 310 or 312 stainless steel fillers are used. Other stainless steel fillers can cause cracking. Stainless filler material is typically more expensive.

Q. Do I need to heat treat (stress relieve) 4130 after welding?
A. Thin wall tubing normally does not require stress relief. For parts thicker than .120", stress-relieving is recommended and 1,100ºF is the optimum temperature for tubing applications. An Oxy/Acetylene torch with neutral flame can be used. It should be oscillated to avoid hot spots.

Q. Do I have to pre-clean 4130 material?
A. Remove surface scale and oils with mild abrasives and acetone. Wipe to remove all oils and lubricants. All burrs should be removed with a hand scraper or de-burring tool. Better welding results with clean materials.

Q. Do I need to back-purge 4130 material?
A. Backpurging is not normally necessary, although some fabricators do. It will not hurt the weld and may improve the root pass of some welds.
.

Q. Should I quench the metal after I finish welding?
A. ABSOLUTELY NOT! Rapid quenching of the metal will create problems such as cracking and lamellar tearing. Always allow the weld to slow cool.

Watts Up

I recently did a little aluminum TIG welding for a good friend and artist Mark Doepker.




When completed it will be a rotating Neon Sign.

Mark will also be having a showing. If you will be in the Charlotte NC area check it out.

"In the Meantime" Portraits and Figures by Mark Doepker. August 2009. receptions, 8-7 and 8-21 with live music. The Art House. 3103 Cullman. Charlotte.

Qtr. Midget

Quarter Midget

Tied together

Quarter Midget Chassis build

Quarter midget sides complete.


Tied together.

Angle gussets

A look at some angle gussets I made today.

Crazy Tools from Jacin Barnes

This shop tip comes from Metalshapers.org where Jacin Barnes and myself are members.

I wanted a tool to quickly lay out holes from the edge of panels as well as find/mark the center of a piece of round tubing - actually marking the Center of a piece of tubing was my main reason for these - I figured you can both measure the OD and scribe the center with the same tool. Had an "old" pair of calipers no longer suitable for machine work (been dropped - ID part bent) so they were "freebies" and I figured - what the heck - nothing ventured... nothing gained.

I think I'll get a lot of use out of these. Time will tell.

As you can see - holding them parallel is key to keeping your line on the mark. Normally I wouldn't scribe metal with a "good" set of calipers - but these are perfect for that as they were "junk" to start with. I will admit I have used some of my "lesser" calipers for scribing metal (for rows of rivets for instance) of course I was always struggling to keep the calipers at the proper angle. With these you simply tilt them back and use the long jaw as a guide - works pretty good. Of course - I'm an admitted simpleton - so it doesn't take alot to amuse me.

Mastering GTAW of anodized aluminum

By Jack Fulcer
March 24, 2009

Performing GTAW on anodized aluminum poses a unique set of challenges, even to the most experienced welder. To address these challenges, welders must be aware of the special equipment and consumables required, properly prepare materials, and employ the correct technique to lay the bead.

GTAW on anodized aluminum requires different equipment, preparation, and technique than on standard aluminum. Its corrosion resistance makes it ideal for boating accessories, such as this tuna tower, that are exposed to high-salinity environments.

Performing gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) on anodized aluminum is a bit like trying to poke a hole in a sheet of ice without disturbing the water underneath. In this case, the ice is the hard layer of oxide created by the anodization process and the water is the soft aluminum underneath.

Anodized aluminum is simply standard aluminum that has been treated to produce a thick layer of oxides on its surface. The aluminum base is a very soft material and melts at approximately 1,100 degrees F, but the oxide layer is extremely hard (some types approach the hardness of diamonds) and melts at 3,600 degrees F. The difficulty in welding anodized aluminum lies in removing the oxide layer without burning through the aluminum base.

Interestingly, it is these properties of the oxide layer that make anodized aluminum a useful material in the first place. It is relatively inexpensive, visually appealing, lightweight, and corrosion-resistant, making it suitable for high-salinity environments, such as coastal areas. It is used in the manufacture of tuna towers, rod holders, chairs, and T-tops on sport fishing boats, piers, bow rails, and wakeboard towers.

Without any treatment, aluminum naturally forms a very thin layer of oxides. The process of anodizing aluminum uses an electrolytic chemical application, usually with sulfuric acid, to create a layer of oxides several times thicker than would naturally form —0.0002 to 0.001 inch thick.

Anodized Aluminum Types

The four types of anodized aluminum are standard, bright-finish, colored, and hardened.

Bright-finish anodized aluminum can be visually distinguished from standard anodized aluminum by its shiny, chromelike finish. This type of material has a thicker layer of oxides than standard anodized aluminum, making it more difficult to GTAW, and is used primarily for cosmetic reasons.

Colored anodized aluminum is also used for cosmetic purposes. This material uses dyes in the anodization process, which allow the material to take on different hues, but also introduce potential contaminants into the weld.

Hardened anodized aluminum is almost as hard as a diamond and is very difficult to weld. This type of material is usually used only in highly specialized industrial applications.

Bright-finish, colored, and standard anodized aluminums all use much the same equipment, preparation, and technique as standard aluminum, but they have some unique requirements in order to be welded successfully.

Selecting the Right Equipment

Selecting the right equipment is the first step in welding anodized aluminum successfully. Equipment unique to the process includes a torch with a fingertip control and a 5356-class filler metal. An air-cooled torch is suitable for less than 200 amps, but a water-cooled torch should be used for applications requiring more amperage.

Like standard aluminum, anodized aluminum also requires a 100 percent argon shielding gas or an argon/helium mixture and a 2 percent ceriated (orange stripe) or thoriated (red stripe) tungsten. [Note: Thorium is radioactive. Always follow the manufacturer's warnings, instructions, and the Material Safety Data Sheet for its use.] Pure tungsten (green stripe) also can be used, but only up to about 70 percent the amperage of ceriated or thoriated tungsten.

When preparing the tungsten, grind it to the same type of point that you would when welding steel or stainless steel. Be sure to regrind the tip when it rounds off and causes the arc to become unstable. Repeat this process as necessary.

A power source capable of alternating current (AC) is also necessary because the electrode-positive portion of the current cycle breaks apart the oxide layer.

Although some traditional transformer-based GTAW power sources are capable of successfully welding anodized aluminum, an inverter is highly recommended for its balance and frequency controls.

Balance control allows you to adjust how long the current spends in each part of the AC cycle. For example, a balance control set to 30/70 means that the current spends 30 percent of its cycle in electrode-positive, cleaning the oxide layer from the base material, and 70 percent in electrode-negative, directing the electrical energy into the weld joint and joining the two pieces of material.

Your experience and skill will determine how you set the balance control. A more skilled welder often can use a higher percentage of electrode-negative (80 to 90 percent) in order to work faster.

The frequency control function available on inverter units allows you to determine the length of time that it takes the unit to complete one full current cycle (the combined time spent in electrode-positive and electrode-negative.)

Transformer-based power sources produce an output of 60 Hz (50 Hz in Canada), which is the same frequency that comes from a standard outlet. Inverters, however, are able to adjust the frequency from 20 to 400 Hz. For anodized aluminum, a frequency of about 160 to 200 Hz generally produces the best results. The frequency produces a narrower arc cone and, consequently, a narrower weld bead and HAZ. The strength of the weld increases by reducing the area of the base material exposed to the heat of the arc. A narrower weld bead reduces the time and filler metal needed to make the weld.

An inverter machine also eliminates the need for a backhanding technique. Backhanding, also known as backing around the weld, involves making two passes on each weld joint—one pass going forward to clean off the oxide layer and then reversing direction to add filler metal to the area just cleaned. In addition to doubling the time it takes to weld the joint, backhanding requires the workpiece to be heated twice, and this can reduce the strength of the weld.

Material Preparation

Properly preparing the material is critical to ensuring strong and cosmetically appealing welds on anodized aluminum.

The material should be at room temperature for at least an hour before welding, otherwise condensation can form within the aluminum and react with the argon shielding gas, creating porosity and a black, sooty appearance on the weld.

Cleaning any residue, dirt, or other foreign material from the base metal and filler metal with a clean cloth prior to welding helps prevent weld defects such as porosity, inclusions, and lack of fusion.

Although the electrode-positive portion of the AC cycle helps remove the oxide layer that builds up on aluminum, you may want to use a dedicated stainless steel brush to manually clean the material before welding. Using this brush for other purposes will introduce foreign contaminants to the weld joint and compromise the weld's structural integrity. An oxide layer begins to form immediately after brushing, so it is also necessary to rebrush a piece that sits for an extended amount of time without being welded.

Technique

Anodized aluminum requires a technique known as bumping, which is a way to remove the thick oxide layer without putting too much heat into the weld pool. Because it uses a fingertip control switch, a foot pedal is unnecessary for this technique.

Bumping involves very briefly starting an arc using the finger control switch, adding the filler metal, extinguishing the arc, moving down the weld joint about 1⁄16 in., and repeating the process. Turning the fingertip switch off gives the weld pool a moment to cool and solidify before you reintroduce the heat with a new arc.

Although easily described, bumping is one of the more difficult GTAW techniques to master. A proficient operator typically can reach a travel speed of about an inch every 30 to 40 seconds.

The amperage range you use will depend on your skill, with a beginner to intermediate welder using around 180 to 190 amps, and a highly skilled welder around 230 amps.

The thickness of the material will require you to adjust the travel speed—thin material requires a faster travel speed than thicker material—but the amperage range typically remains the same regardless of material thickness.

At those amperage levels, a filler metal of 1⁄8 in. diameter should be used. Anything smaller will melt off before it gets to the weld pool. It is also important when adding the filler metal to insert it at the leading edge of the weld pool while the arc is live and to remove it before extinguishing the arc, so that the filler metal doesn't become trapped in the weld pool as it cools.

The distance between the end of the filler metal and the weld should be no more than the diameter of the torch cup.

Although anodized aluminum certainly poses some unique challenges, its weight, low cost, and resistance to corrosion make it the best option for many applications and environments. Following this advice should help you overcome the difficulties associated with this material and realize its potential benefits.

Jack Fulcer
product and marketing manager,
Weldcraft

Jack Fulcer is a product and marketing manager with Weldcraft, 2741 N. Roemer Road, Appleton, WI 54911, 800-752-7620
www.weldcraft.com.

customerservice@weldcraft.com

Robby Gordon Speed Run

Find more videos like this on Planet Robby

AISI 4130 N CHROMIUM MOLYBDENUM (chromolly) STEEL TUBING - Part 2

Kinds of Strength

Previously we learned what 4130 N Chromolly is. Next we will answer the question, Why is it such a popular choice? Fabricators and engineers use 4130 tubing because of its outstanding strength, forgoing mild steel, where a thicker wall must be used to have equivalent strength as the 4130 chromolly steel tubing. Simply put it is stronger. "Stronger"? What does that mean?

Strength is the ability of a metal to withstand some kind of force without breaking down. For example a metal can resist failure from pulling, hitting, pressure, repeated bending, twisting or shearing. These strength properties are known as, respectively, tensile strength, impact strength, compressive strength, fatigue strength, torsional strength, and shear strength. In my experience tensile strength is the most commonly "advertised" although not necessarily the most useful.

The minimum Ultimate Tensile Strength for 4130 (Chromoly) Normalized Alloy Steel is 97,200 psi. A513 (alloy 1020-1026) Steel alloy is generally used for DOM tubing. A popular choice for our type of fabrication has a Ultimate Tensile Strength of psi 87,000. Fabricators and engineers use 4130 because they can use a thinner wall thickness tubing to get the required strength. Thinner equals lighter, lighter equals performance.

NASCAR SPRINT CUP Stainless Exhaust

These are some photos of a Stainless Exhaust System we built at Metalwoks!

The TIG Torch

Clamped in the welding torch is a tungsten electrode in which the welding current is introduced.

Between the tungsten electrode and the workpiece an arc is formed which fuses the base material and melts the added filler metal.

Inert shielding gas streams out of the welding torch and screens off the glowing tungsten electrode and welding pool from the surrounding air.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

AISI 4130 N CHROMIUM MOLYBDENUM (chromolly) STEEL TUBING

4130 steel tubing (chromolly) is one of the most widely used materials in aviation and racing industries because of its weldability and ease of fabrication. 4130 steel is ideal when strong light weight steel tubing is needed. The weldability of 4130 chromolly steel tubing is excellent. 4130 tube is resistant to scaling and oxidation and has a clean, smooth finish both on the outside and inside of the tubing. Fabricators and engineers use 4130 tubing because of its outstanding strength, forgoing mild steel, where a thicker wall must be used to have equivalent strength as the 4130 chromolly steel tubing.

Who uses 4130 Chrome-Moly tubing. Chassis and components of NHRA and IHRA drag racing. NASCAR suspension components. IndyCars, Sprints and other open wheel cars. High end Bicycles, Experimental Aircraft as well as racing snowmobiles use 4130 tubing.


OK, so what is 4130. First let’s quickly understand steel. Merriam-Webster defines steel as commercial iron that contains carbon in any amount up to about 1.7 percent as an essential alloying constituent, is malleable when under suitable conditions, and is distinguished from cast iron by its malleability and lower carbon content. AISI4130 Chrome-Moly is a steel alloy or more simply a mixture of base metals.Chrome is short for Chromium. Moly is short for Molybdenum. “Chrome” and “Moly” are two of the added base metals that add to the alloys strength.


The number ‘4130’ is a code of the American Iron & Steel Institute (AISI 4-digit code system) The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) naming system is one of the most widely accepted systems that defines the approximate chemical composition of the steel.

Designations usually consist of a four digit number, but sometimes this extends to five. The first two digits indicate what the major alloying element is, while the last 2 or three indicate the carbon content in hundredths of a percent.

The ‘41’ indicates a low alloy steel containing chromium and molybdenum and the ‘30’ indicates a carbon content of 0.30 percent.Below is a table showing the chemical composition of 4130 Chrome-Moly shown in percentages.

Carbon	0.28 - 0.33
Chromium	0.8 - 1.1
Manganese	0.7 - 0.9
Molybdenum	0.15 - 0.25
Phosphorus	0.035 max
Silicon	0.15 - 0.35
Sulphur	0.04 max

Now you know what 4130 Chro-Mo is next time we'll talk about why it is used and how to weld it.

Skunk Works

Some of the things we work on here at Metalworks I can't tell you about. We have confidentiality agreements with several of out clients. I can show you some pictures but I cannot tell you what they are or the materials used. Enjoy!

1948 WL 45 Harley Davidson

This is Sleeveless Bob's 1948 WL 45 Harley Davidson. The project for the day was to relocate the foot clutch mechanism. Bob's wife Bobby is the rider of this bike and she had a hard time with the range of motion required with the pedal in the stock position. We moved the clutch pedal assembly about 2" to the rear. Made some mounts changed the cable length and we were in bussiness.
A really cool bike and a happy rider.

Computer Problems

Some time has passed since our last posting , here's the deal. We have had an electronic apocalypse at Metalworks. We have been trying to recover as well as keeping the welders humming and customers happy. The new hard drive is on the way and I should have everything back in place early next week. Then I should resume regular postings.
In the past couple of weeks we have welded broken shotguns, fabricated racing snowmobile suspension parts, Worked on Sleeveless Bob's '46 Harley and moved in a new (old) band saw. Now it's back to work. I hate computer problems!